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| Season | Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends (Season 22) · Poni Island & the last grand trial arc (SM104–SM109) |
| Episode | Season 22, episode 12 · English episode 1038 · Japanese episode 1044 · Bulbapedia code SM104 |
| English title | That’s Some Spicy Island Research! |
| Japanese title | ポニ島の自由研究！しまキングをさがせ！！ Poni-jima no Jiyū Kenkyū! Shima Kingu o Sagase!! — “Poni Island Research Project! Search for the Island King!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 13 January 2019 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 4 May 2019 · Disney XD |
| Screenplay | Jun’ichi Fujisaku |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Kimi no Bōken (Your Adventure) – Taiiku Okazaki · Kokoro no Nōto (Notebook of the Heart) – Hino City Nanaomidori Elementary School Choir |
| English opening | The Challenge of Life – Dani Marcus and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Golurk (US) |
| Previous episode | Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone! (SM103) |
| Next episode | Showdown on Poni Island! (SM105) |
Plot episodePoni IslandHapu debuts
That’s Some Spicy Island Research! is the 12th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends, the twenty-second season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1038th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1044, Bulbapedia code SM104). It first aired in Japan on 13 January 2019 and in the United States on 4 May 2019. It falls within the season’s Poni Island & the last grand trial stretch (EP104–EP109).
Premiered on 4 May 2019; Google Play had released it on 10 April, 24 days early, and iTunes and Amazon Prime Video on 28 April.
Synopsis
The class travels to Poni Island for independent research projects, and Ash, hoping to take on the guardian Tapu Fini, is soundly beaten by a fierce young farmer named Hapu. Professor Kukui leaves his students at Seafolk Village in Nurse Joy’s care, and each one announces a goal: Sophocles will evolve his Charjabug in Vast Poni Canyon, Kiawe will train in Poni Wilds, Mallow wants the island’s famous radishes for Aina’s Kitchen, Lana hopes to see Ida, Lillie will study the local Pokémon, and Ash wants a grand trial. Poni Island has no island kahuna, because the last one retired, so Ash decides to challenge Tapu Fini instead. On the Ancient Poni Path, Ash tries to climb a farm fence to help a Golurk with its harvest, and its owner, Hapu, blasts him away with Flash Cannon, mistaking the group for radish thieves.
Ash challenges Hapu on the spot. Pikachu’s Quick Attack passes through Golurk’s Ghost typing, and although an Iron Tail to its leg brings it to one knee, Golurk seizes Pikachu by the tail, slams it down and finishes it with High Horsepower. Hapu tells the group not to come back and leaves with Golurk and her Mudsdale. At the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy explains that Hapu lives alone near her parents, devoted to the land of her grandfather Sofu, a former kahuna who was friends with Kiawe’s grandfather, and that her farm has suffered a string of thefts. Joy serves the famously spicy radishes, which only Marowak can tolerate. The next day, while his friends pursue their projects, Ash searches Poni Beach for Tapu Fini and finds Team Skull’s Tupp, Rapp and Zipp luring wild Oricorio with radishes on strings.
The Grunts want the Oricorio as dancers for Team Skull Paradise, and when Ash objects they send out Salandit, Zubat and Garbodor. Hapu drops from above, recognises her stolen radishes and, ignoring Ash’s offer to fight, calls Mudsdale. Team Skull’s attacks only trigger Mudsdale’s Stamina Ability, raising its Defense, and a single High Horsepower knocks out all three Pokémon. The Team Skull admin Plumeria arrives, unimpressed by the Grunts’ antics, and the trio follow her away, ignoring Hapu completely. Ash frees the Oricorio from the loot bag and they rejoin their flock. Hapu apologises for accusing the group, but when Ash asks for a rematch she declines and flies home on Golurk. Ash vows not to give up, and that night the friends return to the Pokémon Center for a meal prepared by Nurse Joy.
Major Events
- Poni Island. The class arrives on Poni Island, which has no kahuna
- Hapu’s Golurk beats Pikachu
- Mudsdale’s Stamina routs Team Skull
- Debuts of Hapu and Plumeria
- Hapu’s Groundium Z
- The first episode with the Japanese ending Notebook of the Heart
- With Sensu Style Oricorio all four Oricorio styles have appeared
Trivia
- The English title plays on an Alka-Seltzer advertising catchphrase, for Poni Island’s famously spicy radishes.
- The screenplay is by Jun’ichi Fujisaku.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Alola storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- First episode with the Japanese ending Notebook of the Heart
Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.